When families gather for Christmas dinner, some will stick to formal traditions dating back to grandma's generation. Their tables will be set with the good dishes and silver, and the dress code will be Sunday best.
But in many other homes, this china-and-silver elegance has given way to a stoneware (粗陶) and stainless informality, with dresses assuming an equally casual-Friday look. For hosts and guests, the change means greater simplicity and comfort. For makers of fine china in Britain, it spells economic hard times. Last week Royal Doulton, the largest employer in Stoke-on-Trent, announced that it is eliminating 1,000 jobs -- one-fifth of its total workforce. That brings to more than 4, 000 the number of positions lost in 18 months in the pottery (陶瓷) region. Wedgwood and other pottery factories made cuts earlier.
Although a strong pound and weak markets in Asia play a role in the downsizing, the layoffs in Stoke have their roots in earthshaking social shifts. A spokesman for Royal Doulton admitted that the company "has been somewhat slow in catching up with the trend" toward casual dining. Families eat together less often, he explained, and more people eat alone, either because they are single or they eat in front of television. Even dinner parties, if they happen at all, have gone casual. In a time of long work hours and demanding family schedules, busy hosts insist, rightly, that it's better to share a takeout pizza on paper plates in the family room than to wait for the perfect moment or a "real" dinner party.
Too often, the perfect moment never comes. Iron a fine-patterned tablecloth? Forget it. Polish the silver? Who has time? Yet the loss of formality has its down side. The fine points of etiquette (礼节) that children might once have learned at the table by observation or instruction from parents and grandparents (" Chew with your mouth closed." "Keep your elbows off the table. ") must be picked up else-where. Some companies now offer etiquette seminars for employees who may be able professionally but inexperienced socially.
1. Why do people tend to follow the trend to casual dining?
A. Busy schedules leave people no time for formality
B. Family members need more time to relax.
C. People prefer to live a comfortable life.
D. Young people won't follow the etiquette of the older generation.
2.It can be learned from the passage that 'Royal Doulton is .
A. a seller of stainless steel tableware
B. a dealer in stoneware
C. a pottery chain store
D. a producer of fine china
3.The main cause of the layoffs in the pottery industry is .
A. the increased value of the pound
B. the worsening economy in Asia
C. the change in people's way of life
D. the fierce competition at home and abroad
4.Formal table manners, though less popular than before in current Social life,___________.
A. are still a must on certain occasions
B. are certain to return sooner or later
C. are still being taught by parents at home
D. can help improve personal relationships
Do you want to improve the way you study? Do you feel nervous before a test? Many students say that a lack of concentration is their biggest problem. It seriously affects their ability to study, so do their test results. If so, use these tips to help you.
Study Techniques
You should always study in the same place. You shouldn’t sit in a position that you use for another purpose. For example, when you sit on a sofa to study, your brain will think it is time to relax. Don’t watch TV while you are studying. Experts warn that your concentration may be reduced by 50 percent if you attempt to study in this way. Always try to have a white wall in front of you, so there is nothing to distract (make less concentrated) you. Before sitting down to study, gather together all the equipment you need. Apart from your textbooks, pens, pencils and knives, make sure you have a dictionary. If your study desk or table is needed when you are not studying, store all your equipment in a box beside it.
Your eyes will become tired if you try to read a text which is on a flat surface. Position your book at an angle of 30 degrees.
Be realistic and don’t try to complete too much in one study period. Finish one thing before beginning another. If you need a break, get up and walk around for a few minutes, but try not to telephone a friend or have something to eat.
Test-taking Skills
All your hard work will be for nothing if you are too nervous to take your test. Getting plenty of rest is very important. This means: do not study all night before your test! It is a better idea to have a long-term study plan. Try to make a timetable for your study which lasts for a few months.
Exercise is a great way to reduce pressure. Doing some form of exercise every day will also improve your concentration. Eat healthy food, too.
When you arrive in the examination room, find your seat and sit down. Breathe slowly and deeply. Check the time on the clock during the test, but not too often. Above all, take no notice of everyone else and give the test paper your undivided attention.
1.Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A. Check the time during the exam at a certain time.
B. Your concentration will improve if you study and watch TV at the same time.
C. You should study in a different place every day, so you don’t get bored.
D. Staying up all night and studying is tiring, but you will learn a lot using this method.
2.What does the underlined word “it” refer to?
A. Your textbook. B. Your study desk or table.
C. Your dictionary. D. The equipment you need.
3. What can be inferred from the passage?
A. You shouldn’t look at everyone else during the test.
B. You’ll concentrate more if there is nothing to distract you.
C. You will have enough energy to deal with your study and exams by eating healthy diet.
D. If you feel tired during study, you can walk around for a few minutes.
书面表达
高考临近，学习时间变紧，任务加重，很多同学内心压力大，学习效率低下。请为即将举行的班会写一篇英语演讲稿，谈谈你对怎样保持良好的精神状态，高效而健康地进行复习备考的看法。要点如下：
1. 坚持锻炼；
2. 合理计划；
3. 注重饮食。
注意：
1. 词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3. 开头语已为你写好。
Dear Classmates,
Good afternoon! Today is March 2nd, The college entrance exams are really around the corner now.
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
短文改错
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处，每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1.每处错误及其修改均限一词。
2.只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
Recently, as the development of the Internet, there is a kind of language calling the Web Language. The other day our class had a discussion about if we should welcome the Web Language.
Forty percent of the students think it ridiculous. They argue that it does no good help people communicate, nor is it useful for learning languages. Beside, it'll make Chinese more standard and pure, finally ruining our mother tongue. However, 69% of our class is fond of it. They think it is simple, convenient and helpful in expressing them.What's more, it may make the language more interesting.
Personally, it’s not good habit to use the Web Language. It may be popular, but you may also make yourself be misunderstood.
语法填空
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（不多于3个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。
Lily: Hi, Dave. Do you think the weather is fine today?
Dave: Yeah. And the air is also clearer than ever before.
Lily: En, the newspaper reports that the air is less and less 1. (pollute) these days.
Dave: That’s true. Fewer and fewer people 2. (drive) cars to work since the government started the traffic control two months ago.
Lily: But the control is going to end 3. two weeks. What will happen then? Are cars coming back to the road?
Dave: That’s true, too, although we all hope 4. will never end. On the other hand, the traffic control has made things tough for people driving cars.
Lily: But it’s worth the trouble. I believe clean air is 5. most important thing.
Dave: However, many people don’t think so. 6. they can’t drive cars they will even have 7. (difficult) getting to work.
Lily: They can choose to take a bus 8. the subway. And they can even ride a bicycle. There are many other ways to choose from, actually.
Dave: Some people think buses are too crowded and riding a bicycle seems very 9. (tire).
Lily: Anyway, it’s still 10. (well) than being trapped in a traffic jam under grey clouds and in dirty air.
完型填空
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C、D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Good afternoon, everyone,
I'd like to introduce my friend Christy to you all. Christy is a great example of how one person with ________ can make her dream a reality, so she should win the Student of the Year Award.
Christy loves to ride bikes. She does not just ride along city streets, ________ . She is interested in ________ trail (小路) rides. ________ Christy knew that people who love riding had to travel ________ the city to locate good bike trails, so she________to do something.
Christy knew that Roosevelt Park had a clean, lively creek(小溪) ________ through it. Twelve miles of land around the creek was ________ used. Christy decided to get together with other trail ________ to ask the city council to ________ a bike path along the unused land. Christy ________ a petition (请愿书). She and other riders asked all of their biking friends if they would ________ the list, and they gathered 300 signatures. The city council evaluated the ________ and, more ________ , agreed to allow the bike trail.
The ________ took two months of work, and now Roosevelt Park has a ________ bike trail. It has many ups and downs; it is a great ride. This trail is becoming one of the community’s important ________spots. I can't ________ with Christy when we ride together, but I am glad that she decided to work hard to begin the ________ of the Roosevelt Park bike path. Christy________ this award because she acted on her dream, causing a community to come together.
Thank you!
1.A. determinationB. satisfactionC. patienceD. permission
2.A. stillB. insteadC. eitherD. though
3.A. convenientB. vacantC. toughD. remote
4.A. AsB. ButC. HoweverD. Since
5.A. aroundB. outsideC. alongD. beyond
6.A. claimedB. offeredC. decidedD. expected
7.A. walkingB. goingC. comingD. running
8.A. seldomB. evenC. everD. often
9.A. playersB. runnersC. ridersD. passengers
10.A. proveB. approveC. applyD. accuse
11.A. drew upB. set upC. put upD. took up
12.A. signB. callC. viewD. write
13.A. demandB. invitationC. requestD. plan
14.A. obviouslyB. importantlyC. naturallyD. necessarily
15.A. destructionB. organizationC. protectionD. construction
16.A. interestingB. competingC. parkingD. rewarding
17.A. gameB. matchC. playD. exercise
18.A. end upB. turn upC. keep upD. put up
19.A. creationB. inventionC. collectionD. discovery
20.A. servesB. deservesC. preservesD. reserves
